Doves and Hearts
by Gambit86
Summary: Darien and Claire have a problem. A big problem. They're breathing fast, and they haven't been running. This is so not good.


Author: Gambit86  
Title: Doves and Hearts  
Rating: PG  
Catergory: General  
Disclaimer: I don't own it, never did, never will, wish I did, wish I will. If ya sue I don't got anything, though I do accept checks!  
Spoilers: A little for Brother's Keeper, and an incredibly miniscule and possibly unrecognizable one for The New Stuff (Enemy of My Enemy Pt.2)  
Author's Note: Now dunno what this is, but please remember I've never done anything even remotely resemblign romance, and please read the _entire_ fic before any judgement are formed. Please Review!  
  
  


_Doves and Hearts_  


  
It was 9:00 am and it'd been itching at the back of his mind all night. A thought? A concept? An idea? Until he could identify, categorize, and file away this little problem, he wouldn't rest. So, it was with great distraction and inattention that one Darien Fawkes stepped through the door of the Keep. As he looked up and allowed his gaze to travel over the room he realized what it was... And it scared the living daylights out of him.  
She turned around only quickly enough to see him scramble back out the sliding door before it'd even completely shut. Dumbfounded, Claire stood stationary for a moment, then set down her clipboard and walked rapidly towards the just closed door.  
He pressed his back against the wall next to the entrance and wondered the hell why he wasn't moving. He could hear his heart hammering hard in his chest and related the sound to how it'd pounded during all the old heist days... But at least then he'd been loopy on an adrenaline high, this scared-out-of-his-mind stuff wasn't any fun.  
God, his hands were cold.  
Darien looked down, and realized he didn't have any hands.  
Crap!  
A soft _whishing_ resonated next to his head, and he rolled over on the wall, quicksilvering completely.  
She stepped into the hall and glanced to either side, clearly puzzled. Her long light hair almost touched his face. He watched the strands sway back and forth, before squeezing his eyes shut.  
He had to keep from breathing hard. That would give him away.  
He was breathing hard, and he hadn't even been running.  
This was not good, repeat, this was _so_ not good.  
His eyes were still squeezed shut and internally he was repeating a mantra to calm down, but he couldn't get her face out from behind his eyelids.  
Suddenly he felt a pressure on his shoulders and he knew she was holding his cold self. Invisibility is over-rated.  
Giving up, he allowed the coldness to flake off and as it's chimes hit the ground, slowly he cracked his eyes open, one by one.  
her voice spoke softly and cautiously, as she fixed him in a firm gaze.  
He stared into her cool, blue eyes and smiled when he realized that it was almost the same shade as the counteragent his used to take.  
When she saw him smile, was when she really became disturbed, _and_ slightly perturbed, Darien, what's this all about?  
She released his shoulders and stepped back.   
That's when the thing neither of them could have predicted, happened.  
He stepped to her; in the hall where their silhouettes could be seen clearly through clouded glass, in the hall where even international terrorists could escape to freedom, in the hall where someone had stained the wall with coffee the day before. In this open, airy, free space of one of the most highly classified organizations in the government, his tall frame leaned towards her and pressed his lips against hers.  
That's when his head hit the wall.  
Claire reached up, grasped Darien's shoulders in her small hands and pushed... pushed hard.  
His eyes snapped open in surprise as his large form was suddenly propelled into the wall by her petite form.  
He shook his head and lifted it to meet his the gaze his supposedly delicate caretaker.  
His shock (at himself or her reaction?) and the clear anger in her eyes mixed within the now wide space between them.   
_What the hell was that??? _she asked finally, swinging a hand to her hip.  
Darien sputtered, Last night... I... and then... so you were...  
Eventually he just slumped against the wall where she'd thrown him. But he wasn't shaking. He couldn't finish a sentence, and he felt like his knees where about to give out, but he wasn't shaking.   
He wasn't afraid anymore.  
But as Darien's suddenly calm eyes held with her beautiful, sparkling, entrancing, concerned, confused, and outraged blues, he knew it still wasn't good.  
Crap.  
Claire vaguely tipped her chin and her eyes narrowed as she watched him compose himself. She wasn't sure if she liked the way he was looking at her.  
Gathering strength, he pushed himself up the wall, and tried to make a statement, Keep, I mean uh, Claire... I... I...  
As she watched his nervous movements, and as she listened to his words, the gaze between their eyes continued with an almost clinical accuracy. She realized what he was trying to say.  
Bloody hell.  
This was _so_ not good.  
Cautiously, she stepped across the hall and towards the man for whom she felt such amalgamated emotions. Her anger had faded, replaced by confusion, compassion, but most of all empathy.   
As she took his hand in hers he flinched and turned his head away from the spot on the wall he'd been staring at. She felt a guilt rise within her as his deep dusky eyes didn't look just at her... they looked _to_ her.   
Claire smiled, a motion as inappropriate as his of before, then spoke, Darien, we need to talk about this.  
Her head fell as she couldn't stand his eyes anymore, to the floor, she went on, About these... feelings?  
he responded slowly, About that.  
Now his head joined hers in a quiet inspection of the floor and they stood in an uncomfortable silence. Tension rose out of the once unenlightened air.  
The Keep? he said and scuffed his feet.  
Good idea, she said quickly, her movements thanking him as she led the way through the sliding door. She heard him step behind her and his eyes unconsciously observing. His wasn't the sort of gaze she could protest against, it wasn't sexual, it wasn't predatory, it held no threat... but all the same she knew it wasn't right.   
The door slid shut behind them with the release of air pressure and a finalizing whispered grind.  
Darien said as he took a seat in one of the rolling chairs, pushing one towards her.  
What is there to say? she asked his moving figure as she took a rolling seat of her own.  
He didn't answer as he spun in a few small circles then halted suddenly with his feet. He stopped with his back to her.  
You like your margaritas light, right?  
  
Your drinks I mean... You don't like a lot of alcohol do you? His eyes now followed the the piranhas shift back and forth in Claire's backlit tank.  
Darien, what are you getting at? She pushed her chair next to his and watched the stark shadows of the tank reflect over his face.  
It's just that... he let out a long breath, and didn't speak anymore.  
She slid in front of him, cutting him off from the fish and only her, Just what, Darien? But he persisted on his vague train of thought, You never drink much you know that? I mean, I could get totally blasted and you've barely taken a sip.  
She shook her head and and clasped his hands, Darien, stop thinking about getting drunk and tell me what's going on! I know how you feel, I really do... but I can't do anything if you don't talk to me.  
Fine then, he sighed once more and his eyes looked anywhere but her face, You were with me last night, you remember. After Hobbes left and you drove me home. You drove me home, and I was an idiot, and you were sober. I'm _such_ a weepy drunk. I mean, told you all this crap and you just listened. And now I...I .........  
she pried, half anxious her suspicions weren't true and half wanting him to just talk.  
I think I love you.  
Claire said the first thing to come to mind, the only thing she could say after hearing a confession like that.  
  
He leaned back and stretched his legs out, gliding away from her over a sterile floor. That's your answer? He voiced incredulously, __  
His eyes were painful to look at, and she stayed in her seat even as he stood up. Pacing the floor a moment, his gaze fell back to her, waiting for a reply.  
His voice was quiet.  
Now it was her turn to exhale, What do you want me to say? I, I don't... I only...  
Tumultuous emotions translated to anger as he continued his deliberate treading, Only what Claire? He fixed his shoulders and paused a moment to stare her in the face, Only loved Kevin?  
she asked the quickly, adding to the questions already piling the room.  
I knew about you two... he shifted away from her again, How could I not? Do you think the gland is all the legacy Kevin left behind?  
What _legacy_? she asked, standing up, to walk towards his now still figure.  
Ya know, he cocked an uncomfortable smile to her, Kevin may have been one hell of a scientist, but he was one crappy writer. He loved doing both all the same....  
He wrote about me?  
he glanced at her, Me, hell, even ol' Arnie gets a couple pages. Good of him to leave a diary, a sorta testament to all the other crap he piled on the rest of us. Course he never mentioned names. Nope, never any specifics, too confidential and all that.  
Her eyes questioned him as he made an effort to look casual, So why do you think it was me?  
Who else could she be? A smartie with looks to match... Especially after how you reacted when I, or rather, _he_ went and... and killed himself.  
Neither of them could hide the emotions the memory brought, and Claire tipped her head down to let long strands hide her face.   
she whispered, How should I react? You've told me you love me. This has nothing to do with Kevin, it's just... I...  
Just what, Claire? he asked, mimicking her words of before and she winced as she heard it echoed.  
With all the compassion she could muster, Claire looked up to Darien's tired face, she allowed her hand to reach out and touch his arm.   
She spoke carefully,"You once told me all the women in your life leave you, Darien. Please believe me when I say I won't. I'd never leave you...   
She had to watch as hope barely flickered, before taking a deep breath and finishing, But I'll also never love you the way you want me to.  
His forced posture and cool demeanor fell as quickly as it had come up.  
He replied the only way he could to her crushing confession,   
She didn't answer, only continued to look into his eyes, hoping he'd know the answer.  
You did say Only' before... his words came slowly, But it's not Kevin. Kevin's dead. It's someone else isn't it?  
She wanted to hug him, she wanted to comfort him and tell him it wasn't his fault as she watched the pain spread through his face and tense his body. But she couldn't.  
She nodded and pulled her hand from his arm.   
Don't you have work?   
Uh, yeah, He ran a hand through his hair, Some talk, huh? he joked.  
She smiled, and had to watch as he rebuilt the walls before they fell down, Yes, some talk.  
He glanced at his watch, desperate for a reason to the leave the room of the woman who had just killed him gently.  
I gotta go Keep, work and stuff.  
I don't mean to hold you.  
Nah, uh see you around.  
  
The door whished open and he stepped out to be joined by his partner a few seconds later. Darien glanced back and saw Claire looking to the hall as the door shut.   
She held still and watched his partner join him in the hall. As the door closed in it's grinded whisper she caught a slice of the partner's face.   
And her breath came slightly quicker even though she hadn't been running.  
  
FIN  
**_Please Review!!!!_**


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